Lionel Messi could be on the verge of ending his glorious 18-year tenure in European football, according to reports.
And should the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner bring his spell with Paris Saint-Germain to a close in the January transfer window, it will mean that Liverpool will avoid the prospect of coming face-to-face with the former Barcelona legend in the Champions League knockout stages.
Messi, now 35, joined PSG in August last year and helped the capital club clinch the Ligue 1 title, but with his contract due to expire next summer it appears that a lucrative switch across the Atlantic to Major League Soccer could be on the cards.
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The Athletic reporter David Ornstein Tweeted: "Inter Miami increasingly confident of signing Lionel Messi. Not fully agreed but #InterMiamiCF now expect 35yo to join & hope it gets done in coming months. Talks resume after #WorldCup2022. #PSG still want renewal + #FCBarcelona will try."
US club Inter Miami are owned by former Manchester United and Real Madrid star David Beckham. Bringing Messi to the American league after 'secret talks' would be seen as a huge statement of intent by a club that was only formed in 2018.
It remains to be seen whether the speculation will become reality - and whether PSG would let Messi go in the next window rather than holding onto him for the full season. But there have also been suggestions Barcelona are sniffing around their former talisman, with rumours of potential January interest. Club president Joan Laporta recently said he hopes "that the Messi chapter isn't over" and was keen on creating "a more beautiful ending".
Liverpool and PSG have both already qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League, ahead of this week's final round of group stage matches.
The Reds look set to finish second in Group A behind Napoli unless they can pull off a big win against the Italian league-leaders on Tuesday evening at Anfield. The Parisians are also yet to confirm their final standings, as they are currently tied on 11 points with Benfica, but top the group on goal difference and face Juventus in Turin on Wednesday.
Should the French side finish top and Liverpool second, a Round of 16 showdown between the two sides could still be a possible outcome.
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